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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25029313">Unpack the Baggage</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirrius_Akiyo/pseuds/Cirrius_Akiyo'>Cirrius_Akiyo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love in the Dark [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Eddie Diaz, Established Relationship, Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Married Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Not Beta Read, Sick Evan "Buck" Buckley, Sickfic, Songfic, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:07:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,958</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25029313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirrius_Akiyo/pseuds/Cirrius_Akiyo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with small throbbing headaches</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan “Buck” Buckley &amp; Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love in the Dark [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unpack the Baggage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>-Parallel to Hold On (Let's Go Home) [Buck's POV]-</p><p>Title from the Song "Falling" by Harry Styles.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>Buck has been feeling a bit under the weather for quite some time now. It has started with small throbbing headaches, which he quickly dismiss as fatigue or stress. Then come the sudden spells of dizziness that had caused dark spots to dance behind his eyes. To which he blames his lack of sleep.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He has not bother to tell his husband nor to consult Chimney or Hen because of the gap between the episodes of dizziness or getting light-headed were quite big. It's not like he has a constant throbbing pain to the point he's unable to function, so he doesn't really dwell on that matter.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Then one night came the nose bleeds after he had finished putting Chris to bed. Eddie was still on a shift after switching with Gary in order for one of them to be able to attend the parents-teachers meeting and Eddie had insisted to go this time. Remembering that one time Bobby got it too after the radioactive exposure scare, Buck shoves down his panic and worries into the imaginary bin. At least this time he is sure that he was not exposed to any killer rays.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>After cleaning himself, he prepares to go to bed and slipped under the cover. His hand wanders towards the cold empty space beside him. Being by himself in the silence of the night, it is easy for his mind to shift to the last scene of the previous night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They both had gone to bed angry. In all honesty, Buck doesn't really remember why they were fighting but he knows it was about something trivial. Something mundane on house chores, but he was tired and he snapped at Eddie.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The next morning he has said his apologies and Eddie had kissed him goodbye before leaving for work.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"I'm in my bed</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And you're not here</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And there's no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Forget what I said</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>It's not what I meant</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And I can't take it back</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I can't unpack the baggage you left"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It is the night of the parents-teachers meeting and Eddie has left a while ago after finishing his 12 hours shift, leaving Buck to complete the rest of his 24 hours. Chris doesn't need to attend the meeting so he's at Abuela's, most likely in food coma now.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Once in a while, the unwelcome ache come back niggling at the base of his skull but Buck doesn't let them bothers him. He has learnt to live with them for a while. He really doesn't want any unwanted attention on him and be the man that has too many baggage, the firehouse doesn't need to divert their attention to a firefighter who simply has recurring headaches.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>What is he really looking forward to right now is to go back home and cuddle with his husband, preferably while hearing the praises the teachers must have showers their son with.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thinking about his family somehow able to chase the pain away to the point it is unnoticeable.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He simply smiles to the thought of his little family and his smile just get wider when Hen throws him a knowing look.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Their relationship is not without hiccup, but they've got through it all together. They both believe in healthy communication and no-sad-no-bad-secret-rule. Little did he know his belief is about to be tested.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm someone I don't want around?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"I kissed Ana."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Not the three words Eddie usually says to him before bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At Eddie's thundering confession, Buck can feel his heart break, but he also literally can hear his mind cracked. Like his whole body is about to pop out of his skin.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Buck tries to find the logical reasoning for this confession and alcohol is usually to be blamed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Eddie then has refuted on the possibility of getting drunk during a parent-teacher meeting and Buck doesn't know what to do about that. Did Eddie kissed Ana because Buck snapped at him the night before? Did he fucked up so bad? Did he do anything that has pushed Eddie away? His brain immediately went into overdrive and so he froze eventhough he can hear the strings of apologies that fell out if Eddie's mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Then come the tears.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"What if I'm down?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm out?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm someone you won't talk about?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That night Eddie had held him while whispering strings of apologies into his ears, swaddles him with comforting words. But despite the lightness of Eddie's words towards him, Buck feels like the weight of the world is crushing him down. He feels like the exhaustion and the fatigues of the past few weeks are squeezing him dry. He's frustrated and tired and the tears doesn't seem stop any time soon. After baring his soul out, he finally succumbs to sleep, seeking momentarily solitude from bitter reality.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His sleep was not a peaceful one. Once in a while he'll wake up to either nightmare or sudden panic washed over him. He had thought of leaving to sleep in Chris' bedroom, but Eddie has keep him tight in his embrace. Dull ache keep pulsating in his head and so he nuzzles himself deeper into Eddie's hold. His husband's smell always able to keep him grounded and for a moment he believes in his wishful thinking that everything will work out later.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"You said you cared</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And you missed me, too</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And I'm well aware I write too many songs about you</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And the coffee's out</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>At the Beachwood Café</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And it kills me 'cause I know we've run out of things we can say"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Buck woke up that morning to warm kisses peppered on his neck and jaw. He still feel sluggish and not well rested but to see Eddie's warm brown eyes full of guilt and sadness just tug his heart in the wrong way. It is easier for him to remain angry at his husband but with their history, he knows anger doesn't do any good to either of them. So he reciprocate when Eddie's lips touch his, welcoming the warm feeling while trying to shove the thought that this lips had been on another woman last night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Initially he was hopeful for a busy day that will give enough distraction to him, but now he is thankful for the minor calls that came in as his head is literally pounding him to the ground.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They had start their morning routine as per usual but Buck had noticed how Eddie has been working hard to give him more attention and care. Not that Buck is complaining but with Eddie plastered to his side, it is getting harder to hide the needling pain of the headaches from his husband.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They were doing the inventory when a sharp pain blossom in his head that caused him to falter in his step. Worry immediately etched on Eddie's face as his husband massage the stiff muscle between his neck and shoulder.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Are you okay, Evan?" Eddie asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Buck really hates to cause unnecessary worry to Eddie and so he grit his teeth trying to ignore the pain. "I will be." Buck replied with the most steady voice he could muster.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But Buck did not get better. Every passing moment is an agony but he wills himself to keep going, effectively trying to avoid to be in close vicinity with Chim or Hen.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But then he found himself halfway into the toilet bowl vomiting the little food that he just ate with Eddie a constant present on his side providing silent support.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He feels awful. The pain. The nausea. The heartbreak. The frustration. The exhaustion.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Is he being exhausting right now?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Will Eddie ran away to kiss Ana again now that his mouth full of stomach acid. He's not actually kissable right now.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Buck chases the dark thoughts away while trying to stand up with Eddie's help. Buck's mind is really jumbled up at the moment so sue him if he thinks Eddie is going to leave him alone in his misery.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Maybe it's migraine." Buck suggested to Eddie who is still actively acting as his support pillar. With all the symptoms he's experiencing, the possibility fits, but then as fast as he heard Eddie humming in agreement, he feels like the single string holding him splintered and sudden blackness consumed him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm someone I don't want around?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm down?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm out?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm someone you won't talk about?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All Buck is able to feel right now is fatigue. Extreme fatigue. He can hear white noises all around him but he can't really help himself to care. He feels the fog of unconsciousness slowly dragging him under but as soon as he let the darkness embraces him, stabbing pain prevented him from giving into total sleep.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He feels like he's trapped in between worlds and he hates the idea and the feeling of it. Buck wanted to stay in the world that have Eddie and Chris in it but right now he's encapsulated in a world clustered with pain and agony. Colours keep bursting behind his closed eyelids as waves of nausea hitting him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He can't help but to let his mind runs the image of Ana substituting Buck in their house. Ana kissing Eddie goodbye. Ana making pancakes with chocolate chips for Chris. Ana on Buck's side of the bed. Ana celebrating Christmas and Halloween with the 118. Ana attending the parent-teacher meeting with Eddie. Ana putting Chris to bed. Maybe later on Ana will give Eddie another child. Maybe a girl so they'll have a pair. Buck had thought of adopting another baby with Eddie but they haven't really discuss it seriously, and now Buck is about to lose his chance.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Pictures of Eddie and Chris with Ana and their faceless child slowly taking over the house, replacing any trace of Buck in it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Where will Buck be? Who will Buck be?</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"And I get the feelin' that you'll never need me again"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>After feeling like eternity, the line of consciousness finally tugging him awake. Buck can feel a presence beside him, but he's in so much pain that tears are slipping free from the corner of his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He can feel the warm hands holding his left but he can't make out the owner but the feeling is like coming home.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But later the pain become unbearable to the point that he regrets of being awake.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The hands that are holding him suddenly gone and so as his consciousness. Buck knows no more as he slipped back into a nightmare addled sleep.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What am I now?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if you're someone I just want around?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'"</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>///</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Clarity comes to him in stages. At one point he can hear a voice saying his name and Buck simply hums in response. That is his name, right?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Later he can hear Eddie's voice calling him, and he smiles to the thought that his husband is still beside him. At least he's not a lost cause.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When the numbness slowly fades, he can feel familiar calloused hand stroking his jaw and he leans his face into the warm palm silently pleading: please bring him home.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"What if I'm down?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm out?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>What if I'm someone you won't talk about?</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin' again</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I'm fallin'"</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>(Falling - Harry Styles)</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for stopping by ;)</p><p>Please leaves kudos/comments/kind words :)</p><p>Visit me at my Tumblr: Cirrius-Akiyo</p></blockquote></div></div>
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